Conveyer roll assembly



F. J. WRIGHT CONVEYER ROLL. ASSEMBLY March 24, 1953 Filed June 6, 1950 Nwm wm mm vm .mm m. ww rm? Om .um ww mm mm, PN

Patented Mar. 24, vv1953 CONVEYER ROLL ,ASSEMBLY Fred J. wright,columbus, ohio, signor to The Jerey Manufacturing Company, :acorporationof Ohio Yterials are loaded or spilled upon it.

One 'object "of the invention `is 11o-provide an improved conveyerrollassembly wherein vthe roll Velement includes a" plurality Vof side byside disc elements provided `with vrims vsupported through `resilientmeans, such, for "example, as `discs of `rubber or the like, "ea-ch'disc Aelement including a portion having substantially equal`circumferential cross sectional areas 4at veach of a plu- `rality vof4circular cross "sections Vtaken therelthrough substantially concentricwlththe rim or -the axis 4of rotation of "theroll element.

Another Aobject of Athe invention is to provide an improved conveyerroll 'assembly `wherein the lroll `element `isresilient 1in vitselfandis carried by bearings that are'resiliently supported, there- 'by toprotect Athe bearingsffrom :shocks result- `ing from large pieces ofmaterial mfalling upon the fconveyer vbelt orjpassing vover the 4rollupon the conveyer belt.

Another 'object of the inventionjis to provide an improved Vc onveye'r`roll lassembly including Aione or-moreroll elements 'or varollfelement, per

se, "thatincludes a central portion of resilient materiaL such, `forexample, as -rubber or the like, Ithat has substantially wequalcircumferential cross :sectional areas 'at "each of Aa vplurality ofcircular `sections taken therethrough Aconcentric 4with the -axis Yofrotation "of `the element and which ,central ,portion is substantiallysurrounded by anon-'deformablemeans whereby the roll element Vpossessessubstantially uniform elasticA characteristics particularly to pradialdistortion.

Other -objects of the invention will appear hereinafterkthe novelfeatures and combinations lbeing setforth inthe "appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is 'a Hview of a conveyerltroughing roll uassembly embodying the-'features of thejinvention, theview'fbeingffpartly i in sectionand partly in elevation;

Fig.`^2"isgan end-view' in-(ele'vation ron a smaller scale `of theconveyer^troughing roll assembly seeniinFig. `l`1 iand.

Fig. *3is1asde'view in .elevation yon a smaller scale of one of'vtheroll 'elements of thevconveyer c troughing Yrollassembly-,seen ,.inFig.1.

In 'the drawings there is shown a .conveyor troughing idler rollfassembly y I I) lthat includes a .mainframe Aor! Ychair IIagpluralitypfbearing receiving and :supporting housings .I2 @and y13,"`

f2 and three iden-tical idler roll `element e assemblies or units 114,AII5 and IIB lthat-are `carried through thehousings I2 and "I'3fupon themain frameor chair iII.

Main frame lor chair fl I -includes a basemember I-lof inverted V-shapedcross section, the outer end .portions I8 of which are bentto extendoutwardly and upwardly .from Vthe `central portion `I'S'I yto provide .asymmetrical `base. Extending upwardly, Vone from each `of the outer endsofthe central lportion I9 of the -base `member Il, chair Iliincludes twobrackets or legs 20 and at each of the outermost ends of the sectionsI8-it includesa'bracket or leg 2| that eX- tends upwardly and inwardly.Brackets and `legs 20 andZ-I'Aare identical and each is welded at itsbottom to v'therbase member I'I. The ytop of each'bracket-orrleg 20 and2| #is slotted vertically=toprovide a-yoke122 (gsee Fig. `2) thatreceives-one loftlfieghousings I2 or I3.

Housings `I2 and I3 vare castings provided with U-shapedxgrooves orchannels 23 in their outsidesurfaces that interfit slidably with theyokes 22 of brackets orlegs 20 or '2| and they are shaped to cooperatewith the yokes 22 Vto pre- Vventl lateral 4,shifting 'and rotation ofthe housbearing .rece ,cooperate to provide self-aligning mountingfeatures `i'or the bearing "30. Chamber "24 cooperates with theresilient orfcushion bearlnghsupport 26 and thebearing 30 to 'forms areservoir fcrlubricant for'the bearingy y v Eachpf the centen bearingvhousings t2 includes two spaced machined;oylindricalportions 3l .and 32,the axes of `whichintersect,and are parallel tothe portions I8 andI9,respect ively,vof main frame. .or chair l I I, and yeachcf these fcylindrical portions I .and `3,2j receives ,a resilientfor cushionbearing f Support t 2 6 for one of 1 the anti-friction bearings 1 30that I support adjacent l ends of Troll .assemblies '.4 .and l5 or I I5and Je. 1 The 595mmdrical portionss I and-elect housing- I arespecerieeert letereIlY tifo .provide .aree es between 3 them thatfunctions when the resilient or cushion bearing supports 26 and bearings35 are mounted in the cylindrical portions 3l and 32 to form a chamberor compartment for lubricant for the bearings.

Each idler roll assembly or unit I4, I5 and I5 includes a pair ofidentical metal end disc members 34 provided with peripheral tires 35 ofrubber or material having like resilient characteristics. The outside ofeach disc member 34 is recessed centrally to provide a well having atapered cylindrical outer wall 36 that nts over a collar of one of thecylindrical portions 25', 3l or32 ofahousing I2 or I3.

Centrally or upon its axis of rotation disc member 34 is bored axiallyand at its outside and at the center of the recessed orwell portionthereof there is a laterally extending integral collar, boss or hollowstub shaft 3'I that-extends into the inner race of one of the bearings3!) and is supported thereby. Opposite the boss 3l the disc 34 includesa second laterally extending integral collar, fboss or hollow stub 38that receives a center or tubular hub member 39 that functions Yto spacethe opposite end discs 34 and to carry a plurality of resilient idlerroll elements, discs or wheels 46 placed thereon in side by siderelation. A rod 4I provided with nuts upon its opposite ends extendsaxially through the end discs 34 and central or tubular member 39 andclamps the elements of the resilient idler roll assembly or unittogether.

Roll assemblies or units I4, I5 and I6 of idler roll assembly i3 carryand trough the working run of the belt, indicated in dot-dash lines inFig. 1 of the drawings, of an endless belt conveyer and in practice aplurality of idler roll Yassemblies I0 are positioned to carry thatportion of the working run of the conveyer where material is loaded orspilled upon it. It may be mentioned that the working run of theconveyer belt is normally troughed to such shape that its under sidedoes `not normally ride upon the tires 35 of the adjacent end discs 34of roll assemblies I4 are provided with the resilient tires 35 only toarrest and prevent excessive distortion of the conveyer belt thereaboveas a result of overloading Each of the resilient idler roll elements,discs or wheels 40 includes a center mounting or hub sleeve 42 that tstightly upon the center or tubuper square inch of area than others.

,and I5, and I5 and I6 and that the end discs 34 lar hub member 3S, andsurrounding and preferably vulcanized to the sleeve 42 is a disc or cen`tral portion 43 made of resilient material, such,

it a rim, ring or tire 44 that is substantially nondeformable. Asindicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, rim, ring or tire 44 is T-shaped incross section with the leg of the T imbedded in the resilient disc orcentral portion 43. Rim or ring 44 and the central rim mountingresilient disc 43 are preferably vulcanized together.

The disc or central portion 43 of each roll element 40 is so shapedcross sectionally, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, that it includes aportion having substantially equal circumferential cross sectional areasat any of successive cross sections taken therethrough circularly orconcentrically with the rim, ring or tire 44 or the axis of rotation ofthe portion 43. This portion of substantially equal circumferentialcross sectional areas is defined generally by the radially innermostedges of the laterally flared or rim portion of resilient disc 43adjacent the center leg of the T-shaped rim, ring or tire 44 and theoutside circumferential surface of the center mounting sleeve 42 towhich the resilient disc or rim mounting member 43 is vulcanized.

In Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings there is indicated by the dot-dashlinesA, B and C three of such circumferential cross sections above referredto and the equal circumferential areas mentioned are determined bycalculating the circumferential areas of the disc 43 of resilientmaterial where it is cut by the section lines A, B and C, that is, thecircumferential area of disc 43 at section A substantially equals thecircumferential areas of disc 43 at sections B and C.

It is important to note that by the construction herein disclosed, theresilient roll elements, discs or wheels 43 include a mounting means for`a substantially non-deformable ring, rim or tire that possessessubstantially uniform elastic characteristics particularly to radialdistortion produced therein when the rim, ring or tire is displacedaxially or radially with respect to the mounting means for the centraldisc 43 of resilient material.

In known constructions of resilient conveyer discs the material at theperiphery thereof and adjacent the point of impact or load may tend todent or flatten adjacent said point of contact or certaincircumferential cross sectional areas of the disc may be required tosupport more load With the construction disclosed herein the loadsupported upon the periphery of the disc or wheel 40 tends to displacethe entire peripheral surface including the substantially non-deformabletire 44 with respect to the axis of rotation of the disc or wheel 40,and the load that is tending to displace the outer peripheral surface orrim of the disc 43 is distributed substantially equally throughout thatportion of it where the successive circumferential cross sectional areasare equal.

Each of the rolls I4, I5 and I6 includes three of the disc or wheelelements 40, and in considering the rolls I4, I5 and I6 it is to benoted that each of them includes a hub portion comprised of the centralportions of the spaced end discs, the center or tubular hub member 39and the tubular hub sleeves 42 of the resilient roll elements, discs orwheels 40 and they each include three rim portions each of which iscarried by a disc portion of resilient material between the rim portionand hub portion of the roll. Each of the rim portions of the Wheels 40may be considered as being the radially outermost portion of it that isared laterally to accommodate the tire 44. Each of the disc portions ofresilient material increases in its axial dimension or thickness fromthis outer radial rim portion of the wheel 40 to the inner radialportion thereof which is adjacent the tubular hub sleeve 42 of the hubportion of the idler and this increase in the axial dimension of theresilient disc is such that successive circumferential cross sectionalareas of the disc between the radially outermost rim portion and the hubportion are substantially equal. Because of the increase in the axialdimension of the disc of resilient material sothat successivecircumferential cross sectional areas of it are substantially equal anyload supported upon the rim portion of each of the discs or Wheels 40Will be distributed equally throughout the resilient disc, that is, theload carried per square inch of area at any of the circumferential crosssectional areas will be subl stantiallyequal because the areas of eachof the circumferential cross sectional areas are substantially equal.

It is also important to note that because the bearings 30 are supportedthrough resilient rings or cushions 26 and because the idler rollassemblies or units I4, I5 and I6 are resilient in themselves, thebearings 30 are cushioned against shock resulting from large pieces ofmaterial falling upon the conveyer or riding over the roll units -40thereon, thereby substantially eliminating Brinelling eiect upon thebearing parts. y f Obviously those skilled in the art may make variouschanges in the details and arrangement of parts Without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as ydefined by the claims heretoappended, and applicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to theprecise construction i herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what itis desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A conveyer troughing roll assembly including three roll elementsarranged to support and trough a conveyer element travelling thereover,chair means for supporting said roll elements as aforesaid includingspaced upstanding brackets slotted vertically at their tops, a bearingreceiving housing carried by each of said upstanding brackets, saidhousings including channel means slidable into said bracket slots,self-aligning antifriction bearing means in said housings, cushion meanssupporting said bearings in said housings, said roll elements includingbearing receiving means at each of their ends supported by said bearingsin adjacent of said housings, each of said roll elements includingspaced end discs, resilient tires on said end discs, a plurality of sideby side disc members between said spaced end discs each inclu-ding asubstantially nondeformable rim means, and a resilient mounting memberfor said substantially non-deformable rim means, said mounting memberincluding a portion having substantially equal circumferential crosssectional areas at each of a plurality of circular sections takentherethrough substantially concentric with said substantiallynon-deformable rim, lsaid resilient tires onradjacent of said end discsnormally being out of engagement with said conveyer element andfunctioning to prevent excessive distortion of said conveyer elementthereabove as a result of heavy impacts upon it.

2. A conveyer troughing roll assembly including roll elements arrangedto support and trough a conveyer element travelling thereover, chairmeans for supporting said roll elements as aforesaid including spacedupstanding brackets, a bearing receiving housing carried by each of saidupstanding brackets, anti-friction bearing means in each of saidhousings, cushion means supporting said bearings in said housings, saidroll elements including bearing receiving means at each of their endssupported by said bearings in adjacent of said housings, each ofsaidroll elementsincluding spaced end discs, resilient tires on said enddiscs, a plurality of side by side disc members between said spaced enddiscs each including a substantially non-deformable rim means, and aresilient mounting member for said substantially non-deformable rimmeans, said mounting member including a portion having substantiallyequal circumferential cross sectional areas at each of a plurality ofcircular Isections taken therethrough substantially concentric with saidsubstantially non-deformable rim, said resilient tires on adjacent ofsaid end discs normally being out of ing roll elements arranged tosupport and trough a conveyer element travelling thereover, chair meansfor supporting said roll elements as aforesaid including spacedupstanding brackets, a bearing receiving housing carried by each of saidupstanding brackets, anti-friction bearing means in each of saidhousings, cushion means supporting said bearings in said housings, saidroll elements including bearing receiving means at each of their endssupported by said bearings in adjacent of said housings, each of saidroll elements including spaced end discs, resilient tires on said enddiscs, a plurality of side by side -disc members between said spaced enddiscs each including a substantially non-deformable rim means, and aresilient mounting member for said rim means, said resilient tires onadjacent of said end discs normally being out of engagement with sai-dconveyer element and functioning to prevent excessive distortion ofIsaid conveyer element thereabove as a result of heavy impacts upon it.

4. A conveyer troughing roll assembly including roll elements arrangedto support and trough a conveyer travelling thereover, chair means forsupporting said roll elements as aforesaid, spaced cushion means carriedby said chair means, bearing means supported by said cushion means, saidroll elements including bearing receiving means at each of their endssupported by said bearings in adjacent of said cushion means, and eachof said roll elements including spaced end discs, resilient tires onsaid end discs, a plurality of side by side disc members between saidspaced end discs each including a substantially nondeformable rim means,and a resilient mounting member for said substantially non-deformablerim means, said mounting member including a portion having substantiallyequal circumferential cross sectional areas at each of a plurality ofcircular sections taken therethrough substantially concentric with saidsubstantially non-deformable rim, said resilient tires on adjacent ofsaid end discs normally being out of engagement with said conveyerelement and functioning to prevent excessive distortion of said conveyerelement thereabove as a result ofheavy impacts upon it.

5. A conveyer troughing roll assembly including roll elements arrangedto support and trough a conveyer travelling thereover, chair means forsupporting said roll elements as aforesaid, spaced cushion means carriedby said chair means, bearing means supported by said cushion means, saidroll elements including bearing receiving means at each of their endssupported by said bearings in adjacent of said cushion means, and eachof said roll elements including spaced end discs, resilient tires onsaid end discs, a plurality of side by side disc members between saidspaced end Y discs each including a substantially non-deformelement,said roll, element being supported between said bearing means andincluding spaced end discs, resilient tires on said end discs, aplurality of side by side disc members between said spaced end discs,each including a substantially non-deformable rim means, and a resilientmounting member for said substantially nondeformable rim means, saidmounting member including a portionhaving substantially equalcircumferential cross sectional areas at each of a plurality of circularsections taken therethrough substantially concentric with saidsubstantially non-deformable rim.

7. A conveyer roll assembly including a chair means for supporting aroll element, spaced cushion means carried by said chair means, bearingmeansl Supported by said cushion means,

bear-ing receiving means on the ends of said roll element, said rollelement being supported between said bearing means and including spacedend discs, resilient tires on said end discs, a plurality of side byside disc members between said spaced end discs, each including a rimmeans, and a resilient mounting member for said rim means.

8. A conveyer roll assembly including a chair means for supporting aroll element, spaced cushion means carried by said chair means, bearingmeans supported by said cushion means, bearing receiving means on theends or" said roll element, said roll element being supported betweensaid bearing means and including a plurality of side by side discmembers each including a substantially non-deformable rim means, and aresilient mounting member for said substantially non-deformable rimmeans, said mounting member including a portion having substantiallyequal circumferential vcross section, areas at each of a plurality ofcircular Asections taken therethrough substantially concentric with saidsubstantially non-deformable rim.

9. A conveyer roll assembly including a chair means for supporting aroll element, spaced cushion means carried by said chair means, bearingmeans supported by said cushion means, bearing receiving means on theends of said roll element, said roll element being supported betweensaid bearing means and including a plurality of side by side discmembers each including a substantially non-deformable rim means, and aresilient mounting member for saidY substantially non-deformable rimmeans.

` 10. A conveyer` roll including a plurality of side by side memberseach including a rim means anda resilient mounting member for said rimmeans, said mounting member including a portion having substantiallyequal circumferential cross sectional areas at each of a plurality ofYcircular sections taken therethrough substantially concentric with saidrim, bearing means supporting said roll, and cushion meanssuppcrtingsaid bearing means.

11. A conveyer roll including a plurality of side by side members eachincluding a rim means, and a resilient mounting member for said rimmeans, said mounting member including a portion having substantiallyequal circumferential cross sectional areas at each of a plurality ofcircular sections taken therethrough substantially concentric with saidrim.

12. A conveyer roll member including a lrim means, and a resilientmounting meansfor said rim means, said mounting means including aportion having substantially equal circumferential cross sectional areaat each of a plurality of sec.- tions taken substantially concentricwithsaid rim means.

13. A conveyer roll including concentric circular rim and hub members,and a disc of resilient material interposed between each said rim andhub members, said disc including a lportion having substantially equalcircumferential cross .sectional areas at each of a plurality ofconcentric circular sections taken therethrough whereby said discpossesses substantially uniform elastic characteristics to radialdistortion produced therein when said rim and hub members are dis'-placed radially relative to each other.v

' 14. A conveyer roll assembly. including spaced end discs, resilienttires on said end discs, a plurality of side by side disc membersbetween said spaced end discs each including a rim means and a resilientmounting member for said rim means, said mounting member including aportion having substantially equal circumferential cross sectional areasat each of a plurality of circular sections taken therethroughsubstantially concentric with said rim, anti-friction bearing meanssupporting said roll, and cushion means supporting said anti-frictionbearings means.

. 15. A conveyer roll element including a central portion formed ofresilient material having substantially equal circumferential crosssectional areas at each of a plurality of circular sections takentherethrough concentric with the axis of rotation thereof, and asubstantially non-deformable rim means surrounding said area wherebysaid roll element possesses substantially miform elastic characteristicsto radial distorion.

16. An idler roll including a hub portion, a rim portion and a discportion between said hub and rim portions, said rim portion including asubstantially non-deformable tire, said disc portion being of resilientmaterial and increasing in its axial dimension from the outer radialportion thereof adjacent said rim portion to the inner radial portionthereof adjacentsaid hub, said increasing axial dimension being suchthat successive circumferential vcross sectional areas of said discbetween said hub' and said rim are substantially equal.

FRED J. WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent: v

Shaefer Apr. 6, 1948

